1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveyor, in particular to a conveyor adapted to travel along a helical or spiral path.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conveyor systems for use in food handling and processing are well known, whereby conveyor belts, are employed to transfer articles between various locations and/or through various stages of the manufacturing process. Such conveyor belts are commonly formed of materials resistant to temperature degradation in the range −40° C. to 118° C. and which are readily cleanable, for example, plastics materials. In certain applications it is desirable or required that articles being transferred by the conveyor maintain a particular orientation relative to the conveyor's path or indeed maintain a particular desired orientation or spacing relative to the other items on the conveyor. This requirement is particularly important where the articles should be presented correctly in order to ensure that processes along a production line are administered effectively or to ensure that they maintain an optimal configuration to allow for rapid packaging.
However, articles often have to be transferred along conveyors which follow inclined, curved paths. Such helical or spiral conveyors are well known. In some situations the windings of helical conveyors have small radii or involve various inclines or declines as a result of factors such as limited available space or optimal production line design. In such instances where conveyors follow these convoluted and tortuous paths, it is common that the articles thereon become misaligned or misspaced and must then be returned to a correct orientation either by the use of ancillary equipment or through the manual intervention of production line operators. The use of such equipment or personnel not only contributes to increased costs but also increases the degree of handling which the articles are subject to and as such can be detrimental to the quality of the articles, particularly where they comprise delicate items or foodstuffs.